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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. root — the cause
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wake — a trail
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. root — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com